Page 35

They looked at each other. Their heights were so similar that, standing this close, their noses almost touched. They both took a step back.

“There’s something else I want to show you.” Sam beckoned for her to follow him, this time shoving his hands into his pockets. Arden didn’t mind. The hand-holding was confusing.

As they walked through the sleepy neighborhood, Sam asked, “What else is on your list of Seattle things?”

“Well, there’s Pike Place Market, but I read that it’s insanely crowded. I’m a small-town girl, so that’s not for me.”

“Not a fan of crowds.”

“Nope.” Arden shivered a little, pulling her black beanie down over her ears. “The Fremont troll? The Chihuly glass museum?”

“Both worth seeing.”

“The thing I really want to do is see The Nutcracker. I saw it once when I was a kid. My friend had a birthday close to Christmas, and her parents let her bring me and one other friend to the ballet. It was magical. We wore our fanciest dresses, and everyone else in the audience did, too. The only thing that wasn’t perfect was every little girl except for me seemed to know to wear a huge bow in her hair.”

“How did you wear your hair?”

Arden peered over at Sam as they walked. It was such a sweet question, as though he were truly listening to her, imagining her younger self in the audience of The Nutcracker.

“A French braid. My mom did it. I did have a sparkly clip in my bangs, so it wasn’t all bad.”

“So, are you going to check out Seattle’s version of The Nutcracker? See if it holds up?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Tickets are really expensive. Coming here was a big enough splurge.”

Sam nodded, and Arden suddenly realized she was talking to a man who came from generational wealth. She wished she could take back those last words.

“Life on a Florida kindergarten-teacher salary,” she added.

“Sure. And it’s very sensible to save that money for a rainy day instead. But think about that little Arden who loved The Nutcracker so much. She’s worth a little splurge, right?” Sam flashed her a dimpled smile, as though unaware that he had just cracked her heart open a little. “You could wear a hair bow this time.”

“I—” Arden began, with no idea what she was going to say. But it turned out she didn’t have to say anything.

“Ta-da!” Sam gestured with one arm down the street they had turned onto.

“Whoa.”

This street was nothing like the other block with the pristine, professional Christmas lights. This street was Christmas chaos. Every house was decked to the nines with flashing lights of all colors, a different display in every yard. Here was a twinkling sleigh full of gifts, there was a blow-up Mickey Mouse wearing a Santa hat. Right in front of them was a yard full of Minions riding on reindeer.

“What is this?” Arden’s voice was a mixture of awe and laughter.

“We call this Jingle Bell Lane. It’s just… this. The people who live here go all out every year, and people come from all over the city to see it.”

Indeed, the little street swarmed with families oohing and aahing at the decorations.

“This is the most wholesome thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Shall we?” Sam offered her his arm. Again. Arden beamed at him as she slipped her arm into his.

They walked slowly down the sidewalk, weaving past the other light oglers.

“Did you come here as a kid?” Arden asked.

“Once or twice. We lived so close by. But my dad was kind of against us doing anything Christmas related.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t want us to forget that we’re Jewish.”